In January of 2024, we broke the news of a major project along Wesley Avenue on the south end of the DU campus. The project will create a dedicated area for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The $100M project includes a major new research laboratory building (featured image) and renovations that will transform the Seeley G. Mudd Science Building, built in 1982 as well as some work in the Boettcher Sciences. Unlike the rest of campus, the area has been long neglected and out of sight to most campus visitors.

The three-year-long project will include the new Horizons building (79,238 sq ft facility) followed by the renovations for the existing Seeley Mudd Science building and Boettcher West. These renovations will begin after the Horizons building is finished.

The project, led by ADM Architects, created the building designs, R1 caliber research labs, and layouts, and Civitas is managing the outdoor spaces. The idea is to create a collaborative learning environment to help students, undergraduate and graduate, develop the skills necessary to succeed in the natural sciences. In addition to focusing on research, the design will provide an outdoor interactive social space for students, faculty, and staff. Throughout the early design process, the design team worked with the local neighborhood to make the campus more inviting along Wesley, a forgotten part of campus by most visitors.

Over the short term, Fitch Ratings sees the project as manageable, but the University will need to ‘tightly manage operating expenses‘ over the short term to manage a project of this size and scope. The new and updated facilities should be operational sometime in 2027.